Surgical suturing instrument for performing anastomoses between structures of the digestive tract

Abstract

An instrument comprising a tubular staple case is disclosed, the case being traversed by a supporting rod extending outwardly therefrom with its front end. The tubular case is used to mount a plunger with a knife arranged on the rod. An abutment head mounted on the front end of the rod is made generally longitudinally detachable consisting of two members, an internal member detachably mounted on the front end of the rod and an external member encompassing the internal member and made up of interdetachable rests. Moreover, provision is made for a staple magazine and a female die with grooves for bending staples as well as a drive imparting motion to the plunger and a mechanism for adjusting the gap between an end of the case and an end of the head.

We claim: 
     
       1. A surgical suturing instrument for performing anastomoses between structures of the digestive tract comprising a tubular staple case with a supporting rod passing through said tubular case and extending outwardly therefrom with its front end, a plunger with a knife arranged coaxially within the tubular case mounted on said rod movably with respect to its front end, an abutment head mounted on the front end of said rod, said head being made detachable in the general axial direction of said rod and consisting of two members, an internal member detachably mounted on the front end of the rod, and an external member encompassing the internal member and made up of interlockable rests, a means of interlocking the rests and the internal member along the surface of their engagement against the radial displacement of the rests of the external member, said head being provided with a supporting washer for the knife, a staple magazine arranged coaxially within the tubular case, a female die with grooves for bending staples, said female die being mounted on said head, and a drive imparting motion to the plunger with the knife, as well as a means for adjusting the gap between an end of the case and an end of the head. 
     
     
       2. An instrument as set forth in claim 1, wherein stapling is effected by means of key grooves made in the body of the internal member and keys engaging said grooves, said keys being formed on the rests of the external member. 
     
     
       3. An instrument as set forth in claim 1, wherein the supporting rod is provided with a longitudinal groove made in between the front end and the staple case, said groove adapted to accomodate a flat spring, one end whereof is rigidly joined to the plunger, while its other free end is provided with a tooth, and one of the rests of the external member is provided with a mating projection adapted to engage said tooth in such a manner that a meshed pair formed by the tooth and the mating projection permits axial movement of the rests. 
     
     
       4. An instrument as set forth in claim 3, wherein a tenon and mortise means is provided for temporary connection of the interlockable rests. 
     
     
       5. An instrument as set forth in claim 1, wherein the interlockable rests are provided with lugs, and the internal member is provided with an opening for passing a ligature to maintain the rests of the external member attached to the instrument in interlocked position upon dismantling of the abutment head. 
     
     
       6. An instrument as set forth in claim 1, wherein the end surface of the staple case and the end surface of the head lying mutually in opposition are used to loosely mount a compression ring.